United Airlines/Lufthansa Carry-on and personal item recommendations

I would double check the size requirements. You have to go with the most restrictive, and don’t round up.

Lufthansa’s website says: Dimensions for carry-on baggage: max. 55 x 40 x 23 cm

55 cm = 21.65 inches, not 22 inches. And you need to include the wheels in that measurement. If you have to put the suitcase in their sizer (which I have had to do), the whole thing must fit.

Lufthansa will be stricter than United.

Lufthansa: How many carry on bags you can take depends on the type of ticket you have. In general:

Carry on: 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21.8 x 15.7 x 9 inches)

Personal Item: 40x 30 x 10 cm (15.7 x11.8 x 3.93 inches)

Weight: 8 kg (17.6 lbs)--main carry on only.

United:

Carry On: 22 x 14 x 9 inches
Personal Item: 17 x 10 x 9

If any of your flights are on Lufthansa aircraft, you have to follow Lufthansa's rules, not United's.

My husband brought a personal item on an overseas flight on United in February, 2023 - the backpack measured 18" x 12" x 7.8"
he had no problems bring it. Did the size requirements change since February.

Did they measure it or have him place it in a sizer? I have found that the US carriers let a lot of people slide on the restrictions, but that the European airlines are much more likely to measure the dimensions and weight of carry on items.

When I fly to Europe, I intentionally book my flights on US carrier "iron" and avoid codeshares on their partner airlines - and I also follow the restrictions very carefully on size and weight for luggage and carry ons. I have never had a problem, but we check our main bags and go very light with carryons.

My "go to" carrier for Europe is American Airlines, FWIW. That choice is due as much to where I live as anything else, but I typically avoid United and Delta because I do not like flying on their partners Lufthansa and Air France.

I can deal with all but United and Lufthansa. United service stinks and Lufthansa's personal item size and weiggt limit is pathetic. Having said that, I fly Lufthansa frequently to save $300+ on a ticket. I'm a cheap old s.o.b. and I have a great pair of cargo pants as a get around on the limitations.

The response from MIster E is making me laugh! My family is cheap as well!

Does anyone have any specific types of bags that have worked for these teeny tiny requirements?

Thanks

I bought a messenger bag. Then found a plastic storage box to fit inside of it and keep things organized.

I did a bit more reading and Lufthsnsa says sometimes they have an agreement with the first leg carrier to honor their limits and to read your ticket or the email you got when you booked your flight too see if you hit the jackpot.

I was also going to mention that there may be an agreement to accept the initial airline's luggage sizes. But, if you are returning on Lufthansa then United....you will still need to comply to Lufthansa limitations, or plan to check your carry on suitcase for the homeward trip.

Not too long ago a forum member - can't remember who - said that they had been boarding a Lufthansa flight and noticed that the Air Canada passengers were allowed to use Air Canada's more generous baggage limits. I have an upcoming Condor/Lufthansa ticket that says I can use Condor's limits (which in reality are not any better than Lufthansa's).

To answer your specific question, because of Lufthansa's weight limit I would consider a backpack as my carry on. I use an older version of the Osprey Fairview which weighs in at 1.5 kg and holds 38 liters. The newer version is slightly larger (40 liters) and a tad heavier. The men's version, the Farpoint, is similar in size and weight. A lot of folks like the Cotopaxi 35 liter bag.

My personal item is a Fjalraven Kanken tote/backpack. It's slightly too deep but I think it would be fine if I don't stuff it. I put all of my toiletries and electronics in the personal item to keep the weight of the carry-on down. And like Mr. E. I use my pockets.

MariaF, you are correct. But maybe on the return checking bags isn't as big a bother? Or just throw them out on the last day?

United has removed their sizers from gate areas, though you'll still find them near their check-in kiosks and counters. This is a good article to understand their approach:
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/United-luggage-sizers-dimensions-bags-15045784.php

"That doesn’t mean United is turning a blind eye to overstuffed luggage" but they are using common sense "eyeballing" rather than tape measurers and scales.

I've even noted that the United sizers at their check-in counters are slightly larger than their stated dimensions, with the "box" being just a bit bigger than where the arrows of the dimensions end. That's probably to allow for a bag that might exceed any single dimension, but still falls within the "overall" dimensions.

I have regularly flown United for decades and can't ever remember having my carry-on bags weighed or measured. And my structured backpack is right at the United personal item dimensions.

Lufthansa usually operates my European connections. They can be pickier, but still they have always just glanced at my carry-on backpack, never weighed or measured it. Perhaps if it were overlarge they might take more notice.

I checked TA, and there are several stories of Lufthansa checking. But I'm with you, I've never had the size checked by any airline, and weight only once in over 20 years and hundreds of flight legs. But I've seen others fall prey, and that makes me happy, cause I am always legal.

If you have a soft sided bag that is slightly larger dimensions underpack and it will still fit in the sizer if challenged. Lufthansa can be strict, but like many others, my experience has been if it looks small you likely will not have to prove it.

Give me an inch, and I will use it is my problem. It's one of the reasons I use a hard case. I'm sitting in the airport now, and most of the soft bags I can see are stuffed beyond their capacities. Mine would be the same.

Oh, and a few weeks ago, BUD to FRA and back to BUD, Lufthansa was checking size and weiggt at the gate at both airports. Not everyone, just a few and I saw failures.